Prequel: The Boundary
by JScorpio
Summary: Prologue chapter to my other story here,"The Boundary". Tavington,Bordon,Original female. England: the beginning of the colonial rebellion. Tavington & Bordon are young officers. Tavington's courtship with Karen before they come to the colonies for duty.


**The Boundary: Prequel**

Prologue: A Young Officer's Happiness

_Late Fall, 1775 – Sussex, England….._

The small group of soldiers rode along the dirt road, cutting a dashing swath in the countryside, looking crisp and handsome in their red and green cavalry uniforms. The group of young dragoons were happy to have a day and a night of furlough. The soldiers had just been paid and were headed out for some fun with that money.

The group of handsome young cavalrymen turned the heads of all the ladies that passed by. Not a chance was missed by the men to tip a head and show a subtle smile to the young women on the road.

The men were busy talking of the recent eruption of rebellion in the colonies. All mused aloud, wondering if they would be called to go. They were all excited and agreed that they would make the trip for the fight…..and the chance to see the new world.

As the group sauntered along on their horses, Captain Tavington turned to his friend in the saddle on the steed beside him, Lieutenant Bordon. "Miles, you are always so handy and charming with the ladies, why is it that you are not married yet?"

The affable, cinnamon-haired officer laughed. "I haven't found the right woman yet…at least that's what my parents tell me."

"But you've courted some very lovely young ladies," Tavington objected.

"I agree," Bordon said, "But mother and father are bound and determined that I am going to marry a woman from our social class with as much a fortune or more than what we have. I don't really have a say in it."

"So, you're rebelling by not getting married ?"

"On the contrary," answered Bordon, "I want to get married and have a family. Perhaps I could court one of Karen's sisters?"

"Ah, the last one left was just betrothed," Tavington informed.

"Damn," Miles swore. "Maybe I could challenge him to a duel."

William laughed. "And don't get any ideas about Karen."

"I still think that if I'd have met her first that morning all those months ago," Bordon stated, "that she would be my girl and not yours."

"You're probably right," William agreed with a chuckle.

"William, you know me," Bordon began, "Even though I'm from wealth, that I've never used that to judge others. And as far as women, I never cared about their money or social class. I just want a nice, pretty girl."

"Perhaps you'll find one soon?"

"I will probably fall madly in love with some beautiful little poor girl," Miles mused, "elope with her and get disinherited!"

"You are ever the romantic," Tavington commented. With that, William stopped his horse.

"I take my leave of you good fellows now to pay a call on Miss Stirhaley," William said.

The others waved good bye, leaving William and Miles at the end of the long lane leading up to the Stirhaley estate.

"And where are you off to, Bordon?"

"Ah….there are some young ladies in the village who desperately need part of my paycheck," Miles joked.

Tavington raised a suspicious eyebrow at his friend. "Bordon, the gentleman lieutenant, in a bawdy house?"

"I can retain my gentlemanly manner in a brothel!", Miles exclaimed. "A gentleman's money is just as welcome there as a thief's!"

"Ah…a gentleman in the parlor but a brute in the bedroom, hmmm?", Tavington laughed.

"No. I am always a good boy and never forget my manners," Bordon joked back with a smirk. "Well, have a pleasant visit with the fair Miss Stirhaley."

"Thank you. I'll see you back at the barracks tonight, or will you be tucked warmly into some pretty little bird's bed?"

"The latter, I hope," Bordon called as he nudged his horse away.

William smiled as he watched his friend catch up to the group. Tavington then turned his horse and headed up the lane toward Miss Stirhaley's house.

//////////////////////////////////////////

Harry Stirhaley was reorganizing his desk when he heard a knock on the door of his study. He recognized the voice of one of the servants.

"You have a visitor, Sir," he said.

"Oh?"

"Yes, Sir," he answered. "It's Captain Tavington."

"Ah. Send him in, please," Mr. Stirhaley requested. He was a bit confused as to why the officer wasn't calling on his daughter. _Perhaps Karen didn't know he was there. Maybe she wasn't able to come downstairs to greet him yet, he thought._

William soon entered the study carrying his helmet under his arm. He was dressed as usual in his dashing red and green cavalry uniform. He nodded his head and smiled at Karen's father.

"Good day, Mr. Stirhaley," he said. Harry noticed that the officer's voice didn't seem as confident as it usually sounded.

"And to you," greeted Stirhaley. "Here to call on my daughter?"

"Yes……..I mean……….uh no………….well, sort of….." stammered the captain.

The elder man looked puzzled and said nothing, letting William find his bearings again. The young officer was obviously nervous about something.

Tavington took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Actually, Sir, I am here to talk with you."

"You are?"

"Yes."

William was silent for a moment, summoning up some courage. He closed his eyes and took a breath, then reopened them and tried to relax.

"Uh, Mr. Stirhaley," he began, "I'd like to ask your permission to propose to Karen. I want to marry her, if it is alright with your family, and if she'll have me."

Harry Stirhaley sat back in his chair a moment. He sighed, feeling relief and anxiety both, that this moment had finally come. The whole family genuinely liked Captain Tavington and wondered if he would ask for Karen's hand in marriage. They knew that Karen loved him so.

After a moment of silence, William began to worry. He had worried that the Stirhaley's may reject him as a suitor for Karen. Tavington was, after all, not as wealthy as the Stirhaley family or Karen's sister's husbands or fiancés. He had salvaged his father's business after the elder man had ruined it. The Tavington family flour mills managed to finally turn a small fortune again after his father had squandered nearly all of it. The captain, however, was unable to save the Tavington name and family from disgrace. He had hoped to redeem the family's good standing through his military command. Will had a promising future as a young officer. The Stirhaleys were aware of this.

"Sir, I have a moderate inheritance from my family," he began his plea, "and because I am an officer in the cav—"

"It's alright, young Tavington," Harry interrupted with a wave of his hand. "You don't have to prove anything. Our family is quite fond of you, as is my daughter."

William sighed in relief, then felt a flush begin to creep across his cheeks. He wasn't exactly sure how Karen's family had felt about him, and was taken aback to hear this from her father.

Harry Stirhaley sat stone faced and gave no clue to William if he would allow the proposal. Instead, he began a polite interrogation of his daughter's potential suitor.

"Do you desire children, Captain?" asked Harry.

"Yes."

"Many?" continued Mr. Stirhaley.

William became daunted at this question. Did her father want him to have as large of a family as _he_ had? Or maybe larger?

"Whatever the Lord gives us," William replied calm and naturally, trying to cover up his nerves. "I at least would like to have a son to carry on my name."

Mr. Stirhaley raised his eyebrows. "Oh? No daughters?" he remarked, somewhat testing the young gentleman.

Tavington knew he must answer this question eloquently. William didn't want that many children, but was mostly concerned with having at least one male heir. He did think that he might also like to have a daughter.

"Well, they would be a blessing," William answered.

"And a curse," stated Harry.

"Sir?" questioned William, furrowing his brow.

"You constantly have to watch and protect them so that they do not fall to men with lewd and ungentlemanly desires," replied Stirhaley.

William squirmed in his chair. He desired Karen because he loved her, _and was_ guilty of having secretly thought lasciviously of her. The officer had fantasized about what it would be like to make love to her. He had dreamt of feeling her naked next to him in his bed. But, Karen was a lady and he would not force her to shame by acting upon his feelings. Although, he found it hard to grapple with desire from time to time.

"Yes, Sir," Tavington agreed.

Karen's father went on. "I find myself wanting to castrate any man who would besmirch or hurt one of my daughters."

William, though innocent of his desires, felt a sudden ache between his legs. He also felt sick. Surely Karen's papa could not see or know what he had thought about his daughter.

"That's severe, Sir," William answered.

"Yes," Stirhaley said. "You will understand when you have a daughter of your own."

"Yes, Sir," Tavington replied. He was beginning to be sorry he had asked to marry Karen. What had he gotten himself into? Since he was not a father himself, he didn't speculate that Stirhaley was only testing the waters.

"Relax, Captain," he soothed. "You are nothing less than a gentleman with my daughter."

William smiled in relief. A servant entered, bringing the two men some tea.

After the servant disappeared, Harry Stirhaley pressed on with his questions. He just wanted some extra assurances from Tavington before he could consent to giving him Karen's hand in marriage.

"Captain," he said, "I'd like you to drop all pretense and formality and answer something. I assure you that I will not judge you or hold anything against you."

"All right," William complied with a nod of his head. Concern crossed his face.

"Tell me truthfully, how you feel about Karen."

William was quiet for an instant as his nerves now strangely vanished. He was able to look at Mr. Stirhaley with a new found ease.

"I love her very much," he replied, then went on. "I desire her the way a man wants his wife, but only because I _want_ her to be my wife. I love everything about Karen and care very deeply for her."

"What do you want from her?" asked Harry.

William kept his eyes locked on Karen's father. "To be loved and cared for by her. To have her beside me forever. I would like for her to be a loving and devoted wife and mother."

Mr. Stirhaley, true to his word, listened intently to the young officer's confession and passed no judgment. "What will you give her?"

"I'd give my life for hers, if need be," he said without hesitation. "I will give her love, devotion, and care. A stable home and income. I am not as wealthy as some men, but I want to be a General and feel confident that I will achieve that. As I rise in the ranks, that will give us some privilege and fortune."

Tavington took a sip of his tea, then continued in a very sincere voice. "No matter what happens, I will do all within my power to provide for and take care of her and our family."

"Captain, please be assured that wealth is the least of my worries when it comes to my daughters," Mr. Stirhaley remarked. "Trudy and I have never judged anyone by money, and Karen is the same way. Might I say that I am unconventional, wishing my children to marry for love and happiness first, with fortune second."

Karen's father drank down the last drops of his tea, then went on. "You see, I believe that marriage and family will persevere through any hardship as long as there is love. If Karen had to work next to you in a field or shop to make ends meet, and as long as the two of you are in love and happy, then that is what really matters. For marriage is forever, which is a very long time."

Tavington said nothing. He was impressed by Mr. Stirhaley's honesty. The young captain loved Karen so, and was happy that money was not a deciding factor when it came to their betrothal.

Another moment of silence passed, each man lost in his own thoughts. The quiet was soon broken by Mr. Stirhaley.

"Captain Tavington, you may have Karen's hand," he stated, "if she consents to your proposal. You have my permission to ask her."

William's heart leapt in his chest. He felt as though a weight was lifted off of him. The cavalry officer was very pleased.

"Oh, thank you, Sir!" he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. He grabbed Harry's hand and shook it heartily. "I'll do my best to make her happy, Sir, I promise!"

"I think you will," Mr. Stirhaley agreed with a gentle shake of his head. A smile crossed his face.

"Oh, Captain," he said. "You may ask Karen today. But, first, would you grant me a favor?"

"Yes."

"Would you please take my grandchildren into the garden for a few moments while I speak to my wife of this? I promised them I would take them for a walk out there. But, that was before this happy turn of events."

"Certainly," Will answered.

With that, the two left the study. William waited patiently at the door for the children, placing his helmet on the sideboard.

The children soon appeared. They were the young son and daughter of Karen's older sister, Melinda.

"Well, well, young Master Robert and Little Miss Anna," William greeted. The children bowed and curtsied to him. The three then disappeared through the door and into the garden.

Mr. Stirhaley had set this up. He was not going to speak with his wife of the marriage just yet. He wanted to watch how William acted around the children. Though Will had attended many family gatherings at the Stirhaley household, Karen's father had always been too busy to watch him interact with any of Karen's nieces or nephews. He was curious to see this now and would watch him through the window of his study. It was yet another aspect that Harry Stirhaley needed to feel sure of: what kind of father Captain Tavington would be.

"Come along, children," William said, walking toward the garden. He looked at the kids, each of them carrying a toy. "What do you have there?"

Six year old Robert showed William his toy sword.

"Master Robert," said William, "That is a fine sword."

"But it is not real like yours," said the boy.

` "Well, you shall have a real one when you are older," William assured.

"See my doll, Captain William," said tiny four year old Anna.

William knelt down next to her and looked at the doll. "It is a very nice doll."

"Her name is Katrina," said the timid girl. She began to finger the dolls clothing. "See all the ruffles on her dress? And look at all her curls. She is very pretty."

"Yes, she is," Will agreed, "but she is not as pretty as you, Miss Anna. You are as beautiful as a little angel in Heaven!"

"I am?" she asked in wonderment.

"Yes!"

Young Robert crinkled his nose at what he regarded as silliness from his little sister. He quickly diverted the Captain's attention.

"Will you read to us?" Robert asked.

William agreed and took the small book Robert held from his hands. The trio sat down upon the garden's stone bench. Little Anna climbed up onto Tavington's lap as Robert settled in next to the officer. The officer opened the book and began to read it aloud.

Meanwhile, inside, Harry Stirhaley watched the scene unfold before him. William seemed at ease with the children. The man was now assured that Captain Tavington would make a good father to any children he and Karen should have. So, he left the study and went upstairs to find his daughter and speak with her of William.

In the garden, William was nearly finished with the short story. Robert leaned on his right shoulder, while Anna remained on his knee. She laid her head on the captain's other shoulder and was sucking her thumb.

Before William finished the book, he realized both children were against him. He looked down at little Anna, sucking away absently on her thumb. "Are you tired, little one?"

She nodded her head 'no'.

Will reached his hand up to her face. "See here, Little Miss Anna. You are a big girl now. Young ladies do not suck their thumbs." He gently pulled her hand from her mouth.

"She does!" exclaimed Robert with disgust as his little sister was constantly on his nerves.

William looked at his pocket watch for a moment, then gazed at the house. He thought it was taking Mr. Stirhaley a long time to speak with his wife, Trudy, of this matter. Maybe she was fighting him on the issue, not wanting her daughter to marry him. Will didn't worry too much, though. He knew that Harry, as head of the household, would have the final say.

"Come along, children," William said. "Leave your toys here and let's take a walk." The children put their toys upon the bench and took hold of Will's hands.

They walked for a few feet until they came to a muddy and soggy patch of grass. He held the children back from it as Robert dropped his hand.

The boy looked over at his sister. "No, no, Anna," he ordered. "You can't come with us. You must stay here. Mother will be upset if you get mud on your dress." With that, Robert began to walk ahead.

William started to walk after him, when he no longer felt Anna's tiny hand in his. He turned back to see the little girl with tears in her eyes, starting to sob. This tugged at Will's heart.

He bent his tall frame down to the little girl. She was sniffling now. "Shhhhh. It's alright, Miss Anna. I will carry you over the mud. I'm wearing boots." He kissed her forehead as he said this.

Her tiny, cherubic face lit up with a smile as the officer picked her up. She put her arms tightly around his neck and kissed William's cheek.

"Thank you, Uncle William," she cried.

Robert shook his finger up at his sister, clearly annoyed at her faux pas. "No, no, no," he scolded in his little boy voice, "You are supposed to call him Captain Tavington, not Uncle William. He is not our uncle yet."

Will did not like Robert admonishing his sister all the time. After all, she was only 4 and knew no better. She was just a little girl. But, William understood how little sisters sometimes irritated their big brothers. He knew Robert to be very intelligent for his age, but with little patience for his sister.

"Master Robert, must you always correct your sister?" asked William, as he held the girl securely to him still as they tramped through the soggy grass.

"Yes! Because she is little and Mama and Papa aren't here now to do it!"

The child was too smart for his own good. William sighed and rolled his eyes at the boy's answer, thinking him incorrigible.

"Young man, you are a handful!"

"That is what mother and father say," retorted Robert innocently. "Aunt Karen says that I am smart and handsome."

"Oh, she does now, does she?" William quipped.

"Yes!," the little boy affirmed. "But she says I am not as handsome as you."

"Oh?" Will questioned with small, but pleasant surprise. "What else does your Aunt Karen say of me, hmmmm?"

"That she is head over heels in love with you," answered Robert with no hesitation, and very matter of factly.

"Well, I love her very, very much!" replied Will.

"Then why don't you marry her?" the boy asked bluntly.

"Well, I'd like to," answered William, "but that is up to your grandfather to decide."

////////////////////////////////////////

Upstairs in the house, Harry Stirhaley peeked his head into one of the sitting rooms, spotting his daughter as she worked on a quilt for a friend's baby.

"Karen," he father began, "I'd like to speak with you about William."

She was immediately concerned, noting the serious tone in his voice. Karen put down her needle and thread and looked at her father.

He began slowly and carefully. Harry Stirhaley knew that the couple loved each other, yet, he still needed to hear her put her feelings into words. He just wanted to hear her voice utter the words, to reassure him.

"How do you feel about Captain Tavington?"

She grinned at her father and laughed. "Is it not obvious?"

"Well, yes," he agreed with a smile. "I just wanted you to talk to me honestly about him."

The smile slipped from her mouth as her face contorted to an odd mixture of sincerity and concern. "Oh, Father, I love him so."

She sighed and continued. "But, I am distressed. We have been courting for a year and he hasn't proposed to me yet. I thought for sure he would have by now." She shook her head and looked down.

Mr. Stirhaley could see clearly his daughter's disappointment. He knew that she loved Captain Tavington with all her heart.

"Do you want to marry him?" he asked her without conveying that Will had just asked for her hand. He wanted to find out directly from her if this is what she wished.

"Yes! Very much!" she replied. "I long to be his wife. I love him deeply. I want to be with him forever. I want a family with him."

Mr. Stirhaley was satisfied now that he had given William permission to ask her. He was happy that his daughter wanted to marry the Captain. He was very pleased that the couple loved each other deeply, feeling this would be a strong foundation for a happy marriage.

"Well, then your Captain is worth the wait?"

"Yes, father," she answered. "But I hope I don't have to wait forever."

Her father laughed and got up from his seat. He left his daughter to her quilting and returned to the lower level of the house. Harry then summoned the servants and told them to set an extra seat at the table for a luncheon guest.

Then, he called back up the stairs to his daughter."Karen," he called, hardly able to contain himself, "Captain Tavington is here to see you. He is out in the garden waiting for you!"

Immediately after that, he rushed out the door and called out to the garden for the children to come up to the house to clean up for lunch. The children scampered in to the house to an awaiting servant.

"Captain," called Stirhaley, "Karen will be out to join you momentarily."

"Thank you," replied William. He stood for a moment, resting his hand on a tree. Tavington suddenly became nervous, not sure what had transpired within the house. He only knew that he had been given permission to propose to Karen, and the garden seemed as good a place as any to do it.

Back inside, Harry grabbed Trudy, Karen's mother, by the arm and ushered her into his study. He was grinning like a schoolboy at his wife as he closed the door behind them.

"What is it, Harry?" she asked, looking at him as if he were crazy.

He took her by the hand and pulled her to the window. "Just watch."

Mr. and Mrs. Stirhaley stood silently watching out the window. They saw their daughter cross the lawn to join her dashing Captain within the family garden.

"William!" Karen called to him with a beautiful smile on her face.

When Will saw her, time suddenly stopped for him. He took her hands in his as she neared him. The captain brought them to his lips and kissed them both. He drew her to him and they kissed each other's cheek at the same time in a cordial and acceptable greeting.

"We are alone, Will," said Karen. "Mother and Father are busy in the house."

"Oh," he said. With that he put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. The couple gazed deeply into each other's eyes. Then, they kissed passionately for a moment, which took Karen's breath away.

"Can you stay for awhile today?" she asked him.

"Yes! Your father already asked me to stay for lunch."

"He did?"

"Yes! I've already talked to him."

Karen was confused. Her father had just been upstairs conversing with her. It was only a moment after he'd left her that he was calling up the stairs to inform her of William's arrival. She brushed it off.

William took her hand and the couple walked quietly together further into the garden. Karen noticed that Will acted strangely and was very quiet.

"Are you alright, Will?" she asked him, squeezing his hand.

"Yes, I am," he assured her. "It's just…….I …….I….I need to talk to you." He led her by the hand back to the same stone bench upon which he had read to the children earlier. The couple sat. Karen was worried.

"Karen," he began, taking her hand again in his, "you know that I love you very much."

She nodded her head. "I know William," she replied sweetly with a soft smile.

William loved her so, but was still very daunted at having to propose to her now. He knew it was a decision that would change both of their lives. The young captain couldn't understand why something he wanted could be so nerve wracking.

He took a deep breath and turned to face Karen. She could tell he was nervous over something. She reached out and touched his cheek softly with her fingers. Then she kissed his cheek, silently telling him that it was alright for him to say whatever he needed to say to her.

"Um……I have spoken with your father," began Tavington, "and he has granted me your hand in marriage." With that, William knelt before her as she was seated still on the bench.

Inside the house, there was excitement within Mr. Stirhaley's study.

"Oh, Oh, Harry!" Trudy Stirhaley exclaimed, "He's going to propose to her!"

Harry grinned and put his arm around his wife as they watched the scene unfold. Trudy put her hand on her mouth, excited over the situation. She was very happy for the family—and her daughter!

Outside, Karen's mouth dropped open in disbelief. She had only just talked with her father about this, and now here William was, proposing to her.

"Karen, will you marry me?" he asked her. Excitement and concern swirled in his azure blue eyes. "Will you be my wife?"

Karen took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Finally, the moment she had waited for was here. The words of acceptance caught for a moment in her throat. William squeezed her hands, which seemed to dislodge the words.

"Yes, William. Yes!" she accepted with a pretty smile.

Will Tavington grinned and jumped up. He picked Karen up off the bench by her waist and swirled her around in the air, both of them laughing in joy.

As he put her down on the ground, he put his forehead against hers and looked deeply into her eyes. "I'm so glad you said 'yes'."

"Me too!" she beamed. They kissed softly for an instant, then William took her hand and pulled her behind a large tree.

Inside the house, Harry and Trudy were beside themselves with happiness. The atmosphere was jubilant as they hugged each other and kissed themselves. They were very pleased to have yet another child getting married. They were satisfied that Karen was marrying for love, and not for money. The young couple seemed so happy.

"Oh, Harry," sighed Trudy, "you can tell that they love each other so much. They carry so much affection for each other."

"Yes!", he agreed. "Theirs will be a happy union. As ours is."

Trudy smiled at her husband and gave him a peck of a kiss. They left the study, arm in arm, to begin preparing for lunch.

Outside, William embraced Karen tightly. He kissed her deeply, pushing his tongue into her sweet mouth. She accepted it willingly, and nearly swooned at the heart stopping kiss.

"Oh, William," she said breathily, "I can't wait to marry you!"

"I can't wait until our wedding night," he said mischievously, raising an eyebrow.

"William!" she cried with surprise at his boldness.

"Then I may have you as a man has his wife."

"You're being naughty," she said, playfully swatting his arms.

"I can't help that. I want you in my bed. I am in love with you!"

Karen looked shyly up at him. She was always captivated by his deep blue eyes. "I can't wait to be in your bed. I want to be your wife."

"So, you do have desire for me, hmmm?" William said, forcing her playfully to admit it.

"Yes!"

"Ah, the truth comes out," he joked. "You aren't such a proper young lady."

She laughed at him. "Let's go tell mother and father."

The couple then strolled hand in hand into the house.

////////////////////////////////

The family soon gathered around the table inside for a bite of lunch after William and Karen announced their engagement. The dining room seemed full of happiness and excitement as the main talk was over a possible date for the wedding and the plans.

"Children, the Captain will be your uncle!" Mr. Stirhaley declared.

"Can we call you 'Uncle Will' now?" asked Robert.

"Not until the wedding," Mrs. Stirhaley said.

"Aunt Karen," little Anna said timidly, "Will you have some girls for me to play with?"

Karen and William looked at each other and smiled. "Anna, we have to accept whatever the Lord gives us," she answered.

"I hope it's not all boys!" Anna said quietly with a wee pout.

"We'll try to have at least one girl," William said to her with a smile. Even though he wanted a son to carry on the Tavington name, he was so taken with his future niece Anna that he wanted a little daughter just like her.

**End of Prequel---go to "The Boundary" for chapter 1 and rest of story.**

**Author's note: I was urged by fellow authors to publish this. They both said that it shows that Tavington was once a happier man in his younger, happier days and in love. Shows the contrast between his happy times and how he turns sour and harsh during the war due to struggle, battle weariness, and being shot at or having a sword pointed at you on what is probably a daily basis!**


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